The Playground Weekender has emerged as an eclectic gathering featuring a diverse mix of international and local artists, coupled with a relaxed outdoor atmosphere featuring multiple music stages, cabaret acts, a cocktail bar, a healing area, yoga and an array of international food and market stalls. The PA system had to cover a large area but also needed to be well integrated into the visual presentation, and to go up quickly.
The main system consisted of 24, three-way KF740 modules flown in two line arrays on either side of the stage using 12 KF740 modules each. These were augmented with eight EAW SB1002 Large Format dual-18 Subwoofers and 16 EAW SB1000z Large Format Subwoofers, as well as four EAW KF650z compact array loudspeakers offering 60-degree horizontal dispersion used as front-fills. Powersoft DIGAM K10 amplifiers powered the KF740s, and Lab.gruppen FP6400 amps were used to power the system's subs. The Norwest crew had the entire system flown in under an hour.
"One of the advantages of using this array is that it isn't as heavy as some other arrays, and still packs a lot of punch," says Scott Harrison, audio systems engineer at Norwest Productions. "As we were hanging [the system off] of the stage roof superstructure, weight was very important. Given the short time frame we had to get the PA in the air, the easy rigging was a great advantage. With input from EAW's Resolution software, we got a hang that looked like what the computer said it should, and covered all the area it needed to."
(Jim Evans)
